the real reason he wants me here.”
“That is possible,” Jamie said.
“Nay, ’twill no’ happen,” Sheena insisted firmly. “I’ll no’ wed a lad younger than me, and I’ll certainly no’ marry a Highlander.”
Too late Sheena realized she had insulted them both.
But Jamie laughed. “’Tis a Lowlander you’ve brought here, Colen, lad.” He grinned.
“That doesna matter,” Colen replied.
“It does to her.” Jamie chuckled. “They’re no’ like us, lad. Did you not know we’re all savages to them?”
“She’ll find out differently if she stays here.”
“Aye. She will.”
Sheena bristled. “I’ll no’ stay here, and you canna make me,” she said, hands going to her hips in a rebellious stance.
Jamie didn’t like being told what he could or couldn’t do, even by this girl who fascinated him so. “I’ll no’ argue with you, lass!” he said sharply. He watched with irritation as she backed away from him with wide, frightened eyes. He turned on his brother angrily. “I’ve no patience for this, Colen. When she’s ready to talk to me without shrinking, I’ll settle the matter.”
Jamie stalked from the room. Sheena collapsed into a chair and asked, “What did he mean?”
Colen grinned, for he had got what he wanted. “You’ll be staying, lass.”
“I’ll be doing no such thing!”
“Aye, you will. There’ll be no one taking you back until he says so. And he’ll no’ be doing that until you give him a good reason why he should.”
“I’ll leave by myself then.”
Colen shook his head, still grinning. “I’ll only bring you back, lass, and that’s a promise.” And he chuckled at the withering look she gave him. “Och, Sheena, you brought this on yourself. Why were you so afeared of him? He didna like that one bit.”
“You heard him shout at me.”
“Aye, and no wonder he did,” he replied. “You dinna tell Jamie what he can or canna do, Sheena. He’s laird here. He can do as he pleases.”
“No’ where I am concerned,” she said.
“You’re welcome to tell him that…if you dare. But I’ll no’ be able to help you when he turns his fury on you.”
She had to get away from there. But she would have to face The MacKinnion again in order to do so. To face the devil in order to escape the devil. Och, God, give her the courage, she prayed.
“I’ll see your brother again—now.”
He hesitated, then lowered his gaze. “’Tis only fair I tell you. Jamie wouldna have left the matter unsettled if he wasna so angered that he couldna trust himself to give a fair decision. That’s the way he is. For some reason, your fear of him has raised his ire. If you force the matter now, you’ll no’ be happy with his decision.”
“You mean he would keep me here for spite? Or out of anger?”
“’Tis more than likely. But if you want to try your luck anyway, I’ll no’ be stopping you.”
“You’d like that!” she snapped. “Och, what am I to do then?”
“Dinna take it so hard, Sheena. No harm will come to you here. And now I’ve no need to hide you anymore, so tomorrow I’ll be showing you your new home.”
Chapter 13
T he morning was passing quickly, but still Jamie tarried in the hall. Most of his retainers had come and gone about their business. The few remaining were those who would ride with Jamie when he left the castle. They lounged, waiting for Jamie, jesting with the servants eating their breakfasts at the lower tables. The unexpected lull was welcome, and they did not question their laird’s delay in leaving.
Jamie questioned himself, however. It was unusual for him to be found in the hall so late, even when he had no pressing demands. The day was wasting away, but there he sat, waiting. He should have been out on his land. Though the rents had all been collected by his tacksmen, it was Jamie’s custom to visit all his crofters, cotters, and grassmen at that time of year to ascertain if anyone had been unduly pressed to meet
“That is possible,” Jamie said.
“Nay, ’twill no’ happen,” Sheena insisted firmly. “I’ll no’ wed a lad younger than me, and I’ll certainly no’ marry a Highlander.”
Too late Sheena realized she had insulted them both.
But Jamie laughed. “’Tis a Lowlander you’ve brought here, Colen, lad.” He grinned.
“That doesna matter,” Colen replied.
“It does to her.” Jamie chuckled. “They’re no’ like us, lad. Did you not know we’re all savages to them?”
“She’ll find out differently if she stays here.”
“Aye. She will.”
Sheena bristled. “I’ll no’ stay here, and you canna make me,” she said, hands going to her hips in a rebellious stance.
Jamie didn’t like being told what he could or couldn’t do, even by this girl who fascinated him so. “I’ll no’ argue with you, lass!” he said sharply. He watched with irritation as she backed away from him with wide, frightened eyes. He turned on his brother angrily. “I’ve no patience for this, Colen. When she’s ready to talk to me without shrinking, I’ll settle the matter.”
Jamie stalked from the room. Sheena collapsed into a chair and asked, “What did he mean?”
Colen grinned, for he had got what he wanted. “You’ll be staying, lass.”
“I’ll be doing no such thing!”
“Aye, you will. There’ll be no one taking you back until he says so. And he’ll no’ be doing that until you give him a good reason why he should.”
“I’ll leave by myself then.”
Colen shook his head, still grinning. “I’ll only bring you back, lass, and that’s a promise.” And he chuckled at the withering look she gave him. “Och, Sheena, you brought this on yourself. Why were you so afeared of him? He didna like that one bit.”
“You heard him shout at me.”
“Aye, and no wonder he did,” he replied. “You dinna tell Jamie what he can or canna do, Sheena. He’s laird here. He can do as he pleases.”
“No’ where I am concerned,” she said.
“You’re welcome to tell him that…if you dare. But I’ll no’ be able to help you when he turns his fury on you.”
She had to get away from there. But she would have to face The MacKinnion again in order to do so. To face the devil in order to escape the devil. Och, God, give her the courage, she prayed.
“I’ll see your brother again—now.”
He hesitated, then lowered his gaze. “’Tis only fair I tell you. Jamie wouldna have left the matter unsettled if he wasna so angered that he couldna trust himself to give a fair decision. That’s the way he is. For some reason, your fear of him has raised his ire. If you force the matter now, you’ll no’ be happy with his decision.”
“You mean he would keep me here for spite? Or out of anger?”
“’Tis more than likely. But if you want to try your luck anyway, I’ll no’ be stopping you.”
“You’d like that!” she snapped. “Och, what am I to do then?”
“Dinna take it so hard, Sheena. No harm will come to you here. And now I’ve no need to hide you anymore, so tomorrow I’ll be showing you your new home.”
Chapter 13
T he morning was passing quickly, but still Jamie tarried in the hall. Most of his retainers had come and gone about their business. The few remaining were those who would ride with Jamie when he left the castle. They lounged, waiting for Jamie, jesting with the servants eating their breakfasts at the lower tables. The unexpected lull was welcome, and they did not question their laird’s delay in leaving.
Jamie questioned himself, however. It was unusual for him to be found in the hall so late, even when he had no pressing demands. The day was wasting away, but there he sat, waiting. He should have been out on his land. Though the rents had all been collected by his tacksmen, it was Jamie’s custom to visit all his crofters, cotters, and grassmen at that time of year to ascertain if anyone had been unduly pressed to meet
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